Abbangkement of bttmpebs fob self-acting cab-bbakes



J. J. McCOMB.

' Car Brake. No. 13,038. l Patented .lune 12, |855.

. UNITED STATES' PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES J. MCGOMB, 0F NEWY ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

ARRANGEMENT O-F BUMPERS FOR SELF-ACTING CAR-BRAKES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 13,038, dated June 12, 1855.

T0 all whom t may concern.'

Beit known that I, JAMES J. MCCOMB, of New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self- Acting Car-Brakes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part thereof, in which- Figure 1 represents a side view of a pair of small cars coupled together, and the brakes in place. Fig. 2 represents an end view, and Fig. 3 represents a top view of the same.

Similar letters in the several figures denote like parts.

The nature of my invention relates to the placing of the bumper heads, which apply the momentum of the car, to the working of the brakes-one on each side of the coupling, so that said heads shall come against the cars or the platforms thereof, instead of abutting against each other, by which means I use all the play between each of the cars in applying the brakes, instead of only one half said distance, as is the case when the brake heads or buffers abut against each other.

To enable Yothers skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawing.

The usual amount of coupling distance between cars is four inches,I and scarcely ever exceeds six inches. To make it greater causes too much pushing, jarring, and sometimes piling of the cars when the train is being checked up or started. In self acting brakes the distance at which the cars are coupled apart, or their play, as it is termed, is all that can be used to first, bring the several parts of the brake up to their bearings, and then apply the brakes. When this is done by allowing the brake heads or buffers to abut one against the other, each one can only move half the distance or 3 inches, at farthest. This is not suflicient, as the brake blocks must hang clear of the wheels, and there is necessarily some play in the joints of the connecting rods, &c.'

Three inches is but barely enough to bring up the brake blocks in contact with the wheels, and leaves nothing to apply them hard to the wheels. Now by my method each brake head may move the entire six inches, and

after the blocks and other parts are brought up against the wheels, and each other, I still have three inches more of motion to apply the brakes to the wheels hard. This diiference is what constitutes the essence of my invent-ion. It might be said that by a combination of levers the three inches on the old plan might be increased to six or more. In reply I would state that such complication would make the brake useless, and dangerous besides. There is more safety in trusting to one piece, than to two, three, or more, as the liability to give way increases with the number of piecesused.

A, A, represent a pair of trucks or small cars, for convenience, the principle, being equally applicable to eight wheeled cars, and is intended to be used on cars as at present constructed.

B, is the coupling of any of the Well known forms.

C, C, are brake heads-one at each end of each car. These brake heads, as the cars come up against each other, strike against a plate D (Fig. 2) which forces them back with all the momentum of the cars, and b v means of their beams E, the4 lever F, and connecting rods a, a, bring up the brakes against the wheels. The brake heads are placed one on each side of the coupling. This equalizes the strain upon the platforms or cars. The object is, however, to so place these heads as that they shall not strike one against the other, but so that the entire coupling distance may be used to operate the brakes in. The head C, may be secured to the beam by a screw, so as to make them adjustable, and a rule joint is formed in the beam at b, so that these heads may be raised up, when the train is to be backed or the brakes not applied. The general detail of the brake may be such as is now in use, and I do not deem a detailed description of it essential, so long as I clearly point out what I believe to be new.

As the train is started up, and the brake heads released from contact with the car in front or rear of it, the springs c throw the brake blocks clear of the wheels. By my method of braking, the trucks are as free to follow the curvatures of the road, as by any other of the known methods; and any tendency of the car frames to adapt themselves to the line of road, is not affected, as the brake heads may readily slip on their plates when in contact therewith. I

purpose so connecting the series of brake heads on the train, as that they may be all raised up at once by the engineer or attendant, when the train is to be backed, or for any other purpose. This involves a method than can be adjusted to each car in the train, as an allowance must be made for each coupling space. I also propose to use a rack and pawl, if found essential, to hold the brakes against the wheels when forced up, which pawl may be detached automatically by the moving forward of the train. But these addit-ions will be the subjects 0f future patents, as they are general in their character.

Having thus fully described the nature of my invention, I would state that I am aware that, self acting brakes of various forms have been essayed, which were intended to be brought into action by the momentum of the car, but in all these, of which I have knowledge, thebrake beams, or the bumpers when used, abutted one against the other,

and thus leaving but one half of the usual coupling distance available for bringing up the several parts of the brake to a proper bearing and applying the brakes, which is found insuiicient-and to couple the cars farther apart, t0 give the necessary distance to properly operate the brakes, has its equally objectionable features. These therefore, I do not claim, but

What I do claim as of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- Allowing the brake beams of each car, to abut against the car or platform of the car neXt to it, by which means I make available the whole play or distance between the cars, in bringing up the brakes, and thus more efl'ectually apply them than heretofore, substantially as described.

JAMES J. MCCOMB.

Witnesses:

A. B. STOUGHTON, THOMAS H. UPPERMAN. 

